Chapter 52: Plot Succeeded, Ambush Captured.

"Is this enough?"

By the volcano, the man in sunglasses and a brown trench coat, Mr. 5, asked uncertainly.

"Although those two giants always use the 'volcanic eruption' as a signal for their duel, the long-bearded giant just drank the strong liquor mixed with my fruit ability, and the internal explosion has severely injured him. How could he possibly continue the duel..."

"Mr. 5, I completely agree with you on not understanding what those big-headed giants are thinking."

Leaning against a nearby tree was a slender figure.

It was a man wearing a blue and white sleeveless shirt, a bow tie, and dark glasses. — Of course, the most distinctive feature was the '3' shaped hairstyle on his head.

Mr. 3.

A senior officer of Baroque Works, an artist, and a cunning strategist who fights using any means necessary to win.

—Including mixing explosives into the long-bearded giant's drink, prematurely triggering the volcano in front of them, and setting numerous traps in the jungle...

"But we don't need to think like our prey because we are 'people' who use our brains."

"As long as we understand the habits of these strong but simple-minded guys, even hunting pirates with bounties over a hundred million..."

In his left hand were two old wanted posters: depicting the bearded giant and the long-bearded giant. Both had bounties of one hundred million Berries!

"Don't worry, I'll share some of the reward with you, Mr. 5."

The senior officer named Mr. 3 elegantly sipped his Darjeeling tea with his right hand.

"After all, running errands is still some... effort."

Next to the sinister Mr. 3 was a girl wearing a hat and a blue and white cloud-patterned shirt... no, a little girl. She had a delicate and cute face but seemed uninterested in anything, sitting properly on a mat on the grass, drinking tea.

The palette and paintbrushes beside her indicated her identity: an artist.

Facing the leisurely tea-drinking artist duo, the man in a trench coat and sunglasses, Mr. 5, and the woman with a parasol, Miss Valentine, could only stand respectfully with their heads down.

Strength is status!

---

"uncle Giant, although one of my companions can indeed make the drink explode..."

The severely injured long-bearded giant was knocked to the ground by Luffy, — not because Luffy's strength surpassed his, but because the long-bearded giant had just fought a fierce battle, followed by an internal explosion, and didn't know about Luffy's Devil Fruit ability, leading to his careless defeat.

"Luffy?"

Vivi was shocked, but she also thought of a possibility:

"Roman's 'Thief's Extreme Art'... but how could Nami do it? Could it be Roman—"

"No!"

Luffy took the straw hat from Vivi and put it on his head, facing the long-bearded giant who was getting up again, with a serious look in his eyes.

"I swear on my life, it wasn't my companion who did it!"

"There are other people on this island!"

...

"Haha... haha,"

The long-bearded giant struggled to get up but didn't continue attacking Luffy.

"I believe you,"

"I believe that with a captain like you, your crew must be righteous warriors. But—"

The giant looked at the erupting volcano again, his eyes filled with melancholy and regret.

"It's time for the duel again,"

"It seems the gods of Elbaf have not favored me."

"Hey, Mr. giant!"

Luffy stood anxiously at the giant's feet, spreading his arms to stop the long-bearded giant.

"Now is not the time for a duel, right?"

"You were ambushed and seriously injured, and an unknown enemy is lurking in the shadows—"

Smack,

While Luffy was explaining, the long-bearded giant suddenly grabbed Luffy and pressed him under a giant skeleton nearby. The giant had already learned from the previous battle that Luffy was a 'Rubber Fruit user' and was not afraid of this kind of physical restraint.

"Sorry for doubting you earlier..."

"I have to continue my duel. 100 years—even for us giants with a lifespan of 350 years, it's not a short time..."

The long-bearded giant picked up his sword and shield and turned resolutely.

"If I run away, I won't be myself!"

"This duel has been tampered with!" Luffy, trapped under the giant skeleton, angrily pounded the ground, "What kind of duel is this!?"

Facing Luffy's question, the long-bearded giant silently walked away with big strides!

——————

On the other side, in the bearded giant's territory.

"Huh? The volcano erupted again."

"Two duels in one day, today is a good day."

"But your injury..."

Facing Nami's question, the bearded giant just laughed heartily.

"Hahaha, it's fine!"

"Our injuries are the same, it's still a fair duel."

"Go for it! Giant warrior."

Facing Usopp's cheer, the bearded giant nodded.

"Alright, I'll go win the victory!"

With that, he picked up his axe and shield and walked away with big strides.

...

"Sigh, let's go back to the ship."

Nami rubbed her forehead and called Roman, who was still mechanically gnawing on meat, to leave.

"Usopp, it's up to you now."

"Impossible!"

However, Usopp, who had just vowed to be a 'man of the sea,' pointed to himself and spoke discouragingly.

"Because I can't deal with dinosaurs, we can't get back to the ship!"

...To say such cowardly words so loudly...

"Forget it, let's take it one step at a time."

———————

"Hahaha, long-lost fine wine, how does it taste?"

Facing the bearded giant's question, the long-bearded giant covered his face with his shield, not letting the other see the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Ah, very good."

"It tastes like 'heaven'!"

"Haha, here I come!"

"Gahaha, bring it on—!"

Clang!!

Amidst the sky-piercing clash, the two giants began yet another duel.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the island:

"The clashing sounds have started again..."

Dragging a triceratops, Zoro looked around — he really wanted to see where the battle was happening, but whether it was the Going Merry or the battlefield, he had been walking for a long time without reaching either!

Simply put, his poor sense of direction had kicked in...

"Ha, isn't that Nami?"

A familiar figure made Zoro happy. Dragging the triceratops behind him, he walked towards 'Nami' leaning against a big tree, scratching his green short hair in relief as he walked.

"Good thing I ran into you, otherwise who knows how long I'd be wandering in this damn forest—"

...

On the other side:

"Ahhh, a dinosaur~~~"

Nami and Usopp were both crying as they ran, suddenly realizing:

"Oh no, we lost Roman..."

"Roman encountering a dinosaur, who eats who is still uncertain — let's save our own lives first!"

Usopp, running wildly, accelerated even more, disappearing into the forest in the blink of an eye.

"Ahhh, what kind of sea man are you? Wait for me..."

Nami, crying without tears, reached out but couldn't grab anything.

"No, I want to go home..."

!

As Nami wiped her tears, a familiar figure appeared on the other side of the forest. The iconic straw hat made Nami run over joyfully.

"Luffy? Great—"

...

"Luffy, hold on." Vivi, holding a bone, was digging the surrounding soil, trying to rescue the straw hat-wearing Luffy trapped underneath, but:

"Ahaha, what's going on here?"

A familiar yet mocking voice came from behind, making Vivi shiver. She immediately turned and held the bone in front of her.

"Mr. 5, Miss Valentine?"

The newcomers were a man in a brown trench coat with glasses and a stylish woman holding a parasol. And:

Vivi's mount, Karoo the running duck.

But the poor duck had already been beaten unconscious!

"We originally wanted this duck to call you over," the bloodied and charred Karoo was thrown in front of Vivi. The assassin codenamed Mr. 5 pulled out a special gun and aimed it at the blue-haired princess.

"Unfortunately, no matter how we beat it, it wouldn't make a sound, wasting our time!"

"But now it's not bad either — I didn't expect this troublesome rubber kid to be trapped under this giant peak. Although I really want to kill you now, Mr. 3 wants to make 'art' out of you. So:"

Surrender obediently. ---

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